UNICEF Laos

Friday, April 22, 2016

Nabua Village, Vientiane Capital: Children in the local Hmong community show us their polio immunization marks ‪#‎endpolio‬ ‪#‎Laos‬ ‪#‎UNICEF‬

In October 2015, the Ministry of Health in Laos reported a case of circulating Vaccine Derived Polio Virus (cVDPV1) in an 8-year old boy who showed symptoms of weakness of the muscles and the muscles and respiration (Acute Flaccid Paralysis – AFP) and died on 11 September 2015. On 29 September a 4-year old boy also showed onset of the symptoms and died a short time later. On 13 January 2016, the Prime Minister of Lao PDR declared cVDPV1 outbreak as a public health emergency. By March 2016, there were 11 confirmed cVDPV 1 cases concentrated in 3 provinces (Bolikhamxay, Xieng Khouang and Xaisomboun) among some ethnic groups. The subsequent investigations and analysis revealed significant immunity gaps. Chief among them an immunization hesitancy among certain population groups.